Method and device for the display of information

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for the display of optical information in an application with a display in a motor vehicle, whereby the information is available in a given format. Where the information format is changed by means of a data processing process based on control information, the information is displayed in a changed format on the application page.

[0001] The present invention is directed to a method for displaying information, in particular optical information, on a display in a motor vehicle according to the definition of the species in Claim 1, and to a device for implementing the method according to the definition of the species in Claim 15.

[0002] In today's motor vehicles, there are a multiplicity of components which transmit information to the driver and which generate acoustical and optical signals, potentially distracting the driver and diverting his/her concentration from the road traffic. Besides the classic car radio where the driver can listen to traffic news, these include, for example, navigational systems having optical and acoustical route guidance, mobile telephones provided with hands-free kits, i.e., car phones, and multifunctional display units having changing graphical interfaces. For that reason, to display city maps, road maps, routes, and other optical information, a motor vehicle is provided with a color display of an appropriate size for displaying television and video images.

[0003] The Internet and intranet have become important instruments for quickly acquiring information and for using services. However, difficulties arise when displaying information from the net, i.e., from web sites, in motor vehicles, due to ergonomic reasons, since, for example, brightly illuminated video displays can produce glare for the driver during nighttime driving. However, Internet web sites are always displayed with the coloration predefined by the web site provider. This can result in the legibility and display of web sites not being compatible with some applications. This is because, at the present time, the colors of web sites are not adaptable, without running the risk that adapting another web site using the same method results in this web site no longer being readable, for example because the text and background color are suddenly identical or similar, so that no contrast at all or only a very poor contrast is achieved.

[0004] For that reason, the underlying objective of the present invention is to display information from the Internet or intranet on a motor vehicle display in a way that enables the driver to take in the information with the greatest possible certainty.

[0005] This objective is achieved by a method as set forth in Claim 1 and by a device as set forth in Claim 15. Preferred embodiments of the present invention constitute the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0006] In the method according to the present invention for displaying optical information in an application on a display in a motor vehicle, the information existing in a predefined design, the design of the information is modified by a data-processing process in dependence upon control information and is displayed in a modified design on the application side.

[0007] Preferably, the information is a web site which is transmitted via a communications connection by the data-processing process on a web server for application purposes, to the motor vehicle. To modify or adapt the web site or the optical information, the control information is transmitted by the application to the data-processing process. The control information includes, in particular, information on the present situation or state of the motor vehicle. In this context, the concept of a motor-vehicle situation is described by a number of parameters, such as motor vehicle velocity, cornering speed, curve curvature, road condition, traffic density, driving situation, acceleration or deceleration, position, angle of inclination, ambient brightness, ambient temperature, and weather.

[0008] The web site design modified by the data-processing process is preferably altered in terms of its content, layout, font size, coloration, and/or single or multiple image sections.

[0009] The coloration is preferably changed, and this may be done, in fact, with respect to one or more of the parameters color, color shade, color saturation, and brightness.

[0010] In addition, the background color and/or background design of the information or web site and/or the font color or font colors may be changed.

[0011] To transmit the control information, cookies, as well as meta tags in the http request may be used, or an appropriate parameter list is appended to the URL. It is also possible that the change in the color of a web site is derived from a meta tag instruction located in the web site's source code.

[0012] The control information may be generated, for example, from a manual input event and/or from the values of one or a plurality of transducers or sensors.

[0013] A device for implementing the method according to the present invention has a display, a control unit, a communications device for connecting, for example, to the Internet, and sensors and/or transducers for determining the motor-vehicle situation.

[0014] One preferred specific embodiment of the present invention is elucidated in the following on the basis of a drawing which schematically represents a device for implementing the method according to the present invention.

[0015] The FIGURE shows a control 1 having a display 2 connected thereto. Control 1 is linked to an Internet module 3 on which an application runs, Internet module 3 being inscribed in a mobile communications network via a mobile station 4 having an appropriate antenna and communicating with a data-processing process (not shown) on a web server 5. In addition, control 1 is linked to various sensors and transducers, which are designated here, as a group, by reference numeral 6.

[0016] The method underlying the present invention enables, in particular, the web sites to be adaptable for an application where the external appearance with respect to brightness and coloration is important, so that, for the most part, color adaptation will be discussed in the following. Obviously, however, other design elements, such as font size, layout, etc., of the web site are modifiable using the method, with the application of appropriate parameters of the motor-vehicle situation.

[0017] When web sites are called up, a communications connection exists between a data-processing process (in short DPP) on the web server and the application. This communications path may be used by the application to inform the DPP on the basis of control information that a different coloration is desired for a web site. On the basis of this control information, the DPP may generate a different coloration of the web site that is appropriate for the situation and make this available to the application. The prerequisite for this is that such a method be supported by the DPP. The communications method may be implemented, for example, a) with parameters which are appended to the web address (URL), b) with so-called cookies, c) with meta tags on the web site, or d) with a meta tag extension in the http request.

[0018] In case a), the DPP on the web server may derive the control information from the parameters appended to the URL and generate and transmit the web site directly, when called up, in the coloration required by the application.

[0019] In case b), when the web site is first called up, the DPP on the web server transmits to the application. During an existing communications connection with the application, the DPP is able, with the aid of the cookie, to query the necessary control information from the application and, as a result, may generate and transmit web sites with the appropriate coloration.

[0020] In case c), there is an additional meta tag in the source code of the web site. On the basis of this meta tag, the application may simultaneously recognize if the web site supports a mechanism for color adaptation, as described here. Supplementing this information, a web address is then specified in the meta tag, which leads to an alternative web site having a different coloration and which is automatically called up, for example. In this manner, using the control information, which is generated in an application depending on the circumstances in the application environment, a web site that is already in the display device may be updated in the color display.

[0021] Case d) is similar to case a), it being possible in this case for the DPP on the web server to derive the control information from the meta tags of the http request.

[0022] The methods delineated here are compatible with the web technologies employed today and may be used without conflicts arising with browsers or web sites which do not support these methods.

[0023] The simplest application case would be a request by the application for a bright or dark web site. In a further embodiment of this method, the control information may contain equivalent values for ambient brightness. These may be used by the DPP on the web server to perfectly adjust the brightness or coloration of the web site to the circumstances of the application. In this context, the ambient brightness may be measured by a light sensor situated in the periphery of the application.

[0024] A color adaptation of this kind may also be implemented via a separate web service which is provided in the Internet or which runs as a web service directly in the application. The objective of such a web service is to offer and run through this color adaptation as a central DPP. The advantage here is that not every web site existing in the Internet need consider this functionality, but, nevertheless, with the aid of this central web service, a color adaptation of each web site would be possible.

[0025] Color-adapted web sites of this kind on the web server may be produced using dynamic web-site generation in a DPP on a web server. This means a web server does not need to hold an appropriate web site in readiness for every possible color combination, but rather generates the site universally for the particular web site query. For this, a calculation program for determining colors may be used, or, in the simplest case, the DPP could support two fixed color variants, for example for day and night displays.

[0026] In a motor vehicle, during the day, in particular due to exposure to sunlight, a very bright, high-contrast coloration is desired and, at night, an extremely low brightness with dark colors and surfaces is required. By using the described method, it is possible to solve these problems when displaying web sites in the vehicle. The vehicle may, for example, transmit the light switch position or the measured value of a light sensor in the vehicle to the DPP and thereby supply the required control information for day or night operation, whereupon the DPP generates the web site in the appropriate color representation. In addition, the DPP may adapt the coloration depending on the clock time, optionally in consideration of the vehicle's position as well. On the basis of this information and the seasonal light conditions, an automatic adaptation of the color display is likewise possible. Since the Internet having mobile data access in the vehicle has established its importance for route planning, traffic messages, and off-board navigation, a color adaptation of a web site represents a practical expansion of functionality for the driver of a motor vehicle. Reference Symbol List 1 control 2 display 3 Internet module 4 mobile station 5 web server 6 sensors and transducers 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for displaying optical information in an application where a display is used in a motor vehicle, the information existing in a predefined design, wherein the design of the information is modified by a data-processing process in dependence upon control information and is displayed in a modified design on the application side.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the information is a web site which is transmitted via a communications connection by the data-processing process on a web server to the application.
 3. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the application transmits the control information to the data-processing process.
 4. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the control information includes information on the situation of the motor vehicle.
 5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the motor-vehicle situation includes one or more of the following parameters, such as motor vehicle velocity, cornering speed, curve curvature, road condition, traffic density, driving situation, acceleration or deceleration, position, angle of inclination, ambient brightness, ambient temperature, and weather.
 6. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the web site design is modified in terms of its content, layout, font size, coloration, and/or single or multiple image sections.
 7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the coloration is changed with respect to one or more of the color parameters color, color shade, color saturation, and brightness.
 8. The method as recited in claim 6 or 7, wherein the background color and/or background design of the information is changed.
 9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the font color or font colors are changed.
 10. The method as recited in one of claims 3 through 9, wherein to transmit the control information, cookies are used.
 11. The method as recited in one of claims 3 through 9, wherein to transmit the control information, meta tags in the http request are used.
 12. The method as recited in one of claims 3 through 9, wherein to transmit the control information, a parameter list is appended to the URL.
 13. The method as recited in one of claims 6 through 12, wherein the change in the color of a web site is derived from a meta tag instruction located in the web site's source code.
 14. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the control information is generated from a manual input event and/or from the values of one or a plurality of transducers.
 15. A device for implementing the method as recited in one of the preceding claims comprises a display (2), a control unit (1), a communications device (3, 4) and sensors and/or transducers (6) for determining the motor-vehicle situation. 